We are about to install geothermal heating soon, and in conjunction with this, we need to ensure that the floor can support the heat pump (250 kg on a 60x60 cm area). I would gladly receive some tips for this.

Currently, the floor joists are spaced at c600, so the plan is to brace the joists from underneath with concrete piers or something similar. We have an exposed rock outcrop under the house, and there is about a 40-50 cm distance from the rock to the joists. The rock slopes, and the joists are covered with asfaboard.

How do we do this in the best way?
 
Hello!

Of course, you can cast a concrete post on the rock, but it's easier to just drill a couple of holes in the rock and insert a couple of hot-dipped galvanized post brackets into the holes. There are even post brackets that are adjustable in height with a screw mechanism.

Then some form of post up to a thick plank or similar lying against the floor joists...
 
...the asfaboard should be removed above the horizontal plank, it is soft and it must, of course, be completely rigid there...
 
Do you have reason to believe that your joists are undersized? I recall that there is a standard which states that a floor in residential buildings should support 200 kg/sqm throughout the entire room. A 250 kg heat pump should then pose no problems whatsoever.
 
I recall that a constructor I spoke with in another matter said that 100 kg/sqm was normal dimensioning. But, of course, it could be that he is allowing for a safety factor while you mean how much it can actually withstand? One could, of course, place a rigid plate over adjacent beams and thus distribute the load further.

However, I want minimal deflection because of the adjacent fully-tiled room, so I find the idea of adjustable post bases interesting. A few follow-up questions:
* What is the function of the asfaboard?
* Does the asfaboard need to be replaced, e.g., with new asfaboard that is placed around the post and connects to the surrounding asfaboard?
* Should one use treated posts or is regular lumber sufficient (considering the issue with organic materials in crawlspaces)?
* Where can one buy these clever post bases?
 
Imagine that the water in the pump weighs almost as much as the pump itself. I installed geothermal heating and we have 45x220 planks on cc60, but I thought it felt good and safe to have something under the pump, so I supported it with planks. Since it's almost half a ton standing on a small area, I wanted to avoid being nervous when sitting and thinking on the toilet next to the pump ☺
 
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Well, 200 kg/sqm is the design factor - meaning what the floor should be able to withstand. Not the breaking point. But this is not something I'm particularly knowledgeable about.

The Asfaboard is meant to keep the insulation in place in the joists, preventing it from falling down. The constructions can look a bit different, but the point is that you should install your support flush with the framework. You don't need to replace what you notch out for a joist under the floor structure.

Pressure-treated wood isn't a bad choice, and you can buy post shoes at the nearest hardware store.
 
Note that Karl Pedal places 250 kg on a surface of 60x60 cm, i.e., 250 kg on 0.36 sqm... I would, of course, provide proper support down to the bedrock!

There are several different types at Jula, etc., here is one of them
http://www.jula.se/catalog/bygg-och...stolpskor-och-stod/justerbar-stolpsko-340610/

Jula's version seems to have better galvanization than Biltema's equivalent
http://www.biltema.se/sv/Bygg/Monteringsdetaljer/Stolp--och-balksko/Justerbar-stolpsko-2000018764/

They don't go down into a round hole of the correct dimension for the pipe without first cutting off a bit at the bottom. Clean the drill hole in the rock and apply some cold asphalt or asphalt adhesive, and you will get corrosion protection on the part where the hot-galvanization is removed...
 
So if you have two heavyset ladies or gentlemen visiting, standing and talking next to each other, you mean you need to brace underneath? In that case, the floor would also give considerably when a normally built person jumps on it, and it shouldn't do that if it's constructed correctly.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's wrong to brace - especially when the conditions are as favorable as in the TS case.
 
One does differentiate between long-term load and temporary load if I’m not mistaken. And then of course, in the end, it’s the adjacent beams that take up the load between two beams regardless of whether it’s placed on 10x10 cm or 60x60 (provided that the boards between the beams hold).

I’ll get back with the final result. Thanks for the help, everyone.
 
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Yes, if the two corpulent individuals pulled in their stomachs sufficiently, so that their feet fit within 60 cm and they intended to stay on the same spot and "chatter" for 20 years, then I would probably stamp up:D
 
I had moved :D
 
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